Pak Submarine Joins Naval Drills In Jubail

The Pakistani Navy submarine Hamza docked at the Royal Saudi Naval Forces Base in Jubail where both navies conducted joint exercises on May 6 and May 11. Following its arrival, several meetings were held on a number of professional matters including the combat capabilities of the two navies.

Commander of the Eastern Fleet of the Saudi Royal Navy Rear Admiral Ibrahim Maghloos also visited submarine Hamza in Jubail.

Commander Syed Sajjad Hussain and other Pakistani naval officers including the Saudi navies welcomed the Commander of the Saudi Eastern Fleet. The Pak Navy submarine Hamza is the first indigenously constructed submarine of the Pakistan Navy equipped with the MESMA AIP system.

The submarine was constructed by PN Dockyard in collaboration with DCNS of France. Hamza was successfully launched on Aug. 10, 2006 by the president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and commissioned on Sept. 26, 2008 by the prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The induction of Hamza in the PNS submarine Force has added a new dimension to conventional submarines operations. Hamza has safely and smoothly conducted maximum endurance operations of MESMA at sea. The PN Submarine Force with this state-of-the-art platform has gained a unique capability of enhanced submerged endurance as compared to the navies of the region.

The submarine by virtue of its propulsion system, weapons and sensor outfit, equipment efficiency, stealth and well-knitted crew is a platform to reckon with and is fully capable of undertaking a variety of missions.